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Stonehearth Sergeants-at-Arms
The Secret Service This is the quiet top tier of the Arms' soldiers. Most traditionally and visibly assigned as bodyguards to the marquis and marchioness, even with the rise of the personnel protection duties of the Guard, the SA are the Secret Service of House Stonehearth. Where the retainers of other royals might be associated lesser nobility, the Stonehearth executive relies on their own trained, vetted and trusted Sergeants-at-Arms. Colloquially known as the "SA" (pronounced as letters: Ess-Ae), they are rumored to be the House's go-to source for discrete missions. For most aristocracy, that might amount to henchman or courier duty. For Stonehearth, a few legends of wartime heroics have cemented the SA as the Shadow of the Marquis. The rumors barely scratch the surface. For the Stonehearth SA, playing cat-and-mouse with Larloch and his army of liches means even the entry-level Sergeants are exceptionally well-trained, extremely experienced special operations and intelligence agents working under the authority of the Charter of Light. The Marque of the Sergeants-at-Arms The SA have their own unit emblem and motto – but that is rarely worn in public. Only on their formal uniform, and only when they have a known public role. Otherwise, their rank and membership is usually hidden behind another role, possibly in the Arms, probably anything but Stonehearth depending on their mission. From inside Stonehearth, they are a collection of heroes. From outside Stonehearth, there is a chill when rumors of SA pass through an area. Not necessarily bloodthirsty assassins, they are often feared as agents of change. This, too, breaks stereotypes as there's a possibility of a fate worse than death: that the local lord is about to lose their grip on power... The rumors would be stronger but the SA often wipe (or partially wipe) memories of bystanders and selected survivors. Recruitment Pools The SA are recruited mostly from the ranks of the Stonehearth Rangers and Marines, with a smattering coming from other places – either the Guard or more magically intensive roles. Once trained up to excel in tradecraft, they commonly function as intelligence case officers, agent provocateurs, and direct action specialists. For those whose cover has been blown, they are often transferred to positions with official cover, such as being appointed to key diplomatic positions. Many have been knighted by Stonehearth and deployed as ambassadors. The SA are undeniable, epic-level heroes in their own right. The Candidate Path There are three ways into the SA: the [[Stonehearth Rangers|'Rangers']] (50%), the [[Stonehearth Guard|'Marines']] (40%), and Other (10%). Candidates may petition for entry after four years of service in one of the specialist roles, or they may be tapped prior to that point under exceptional circumstances. Those are truly extreme conditions, as "special" is the baseline of the SA. Most will wait for at least one full cycle of specialist duty before applying to the SA. With one full cycle in Infantry, and one full cycle as a specialist, it works out to 12 years in the Stonehearth Arms before entering the SA. If the individual entered the Infantry at 18 years old (as most do), on average, they're entering the SA at 30 years old. The majority of the "Other" are protection specialists from the [[Stonehearth Guard|'Guard']], where it's still a 12-year path before they're considered for the SA. The other "Other" are non-traditional recruitment routes, where a candidate may offer the SA a critical or strategically-sensitive capacity, such as unique magical or psionic skills. A Soldier In a Spy's Job. In class terms, this usually translates as hybrid fighter-fighter or fighter-rangers now triple-classing into rogue. These are already deadly people, so the rogue fighting feats aren't as prominent as the tactics, techniques and procedures of tradecraft, the psychology, the vehicle for deep cover stories and simply being able to blend in with people they just met. The Sergeants-at-Arms, though, are an organization – not a class. The class progression within the SA is variable and may change based on the needs of the situation (or the campaign). For an example of the deep resources and wide latitude the SA can enable their operatives, check out [[Case of the Calimshan Curser|'Mr Smith Goes to Calimshan']]. There are many more who will work with the SA without ever being part of the organization. It may be muscle from the Marines or Rangers, the Guard or two companies of Infantry who are lurking on the far side of that distant hill – and will rain down artillery fire on the SA's signal. It could be a foreign ally who guides the SA and wins political asylum in the process. Note: Stonehearth does not turn their back on their allies when the relationship is no longer convenient... The "Class" Experience For the special few, especially the other "Other" who are recruited into service, there are special training criteria that they'll have to complete as their SA journey continues. This may mean taking levels in Infantry, even when they're in the SA. That represents paramilitary the training they did before ever being deployed on the campaign's adventure. This would especially apply to the only group who may be more secret than the SA: the Stonehearth ArCorps. In the other direction, there are many in the Sergeants-at-Arms who will take levels and training outside the usual Rogue-based path. The primary example is SA going through wandist or wizard progression. Again, check out that "Mr Smith Goes to Calimshan" link, above. __TOC__ Class Features As a Stonehearth Sergeant-at-Arms, the character gains the following class features. Hit Points * Hit Dice: 1d8 per rogue level * Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + the character's Constitution modifier * Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + the Constitution modifier per rogue level after 1st Proficiency Bonus The Proficiency Bonus is always based on the total character level, as shown in the Character Advancement table, not the level in a particular class. For example, that Infantry 6/St-Ranger 6/Rogue 1 has the Proficiency Bonus of a 13th-level character, which is +5. Note that the minimum Infantry level is 6 prior to Specialist cross-over, and fully roleplay-realized characters often serve a full specialist term before considering the SA (and most don't consider the SA). Actual life paths may vary, and as such, the Level/Proficiency Bonus columns make the assumption of level-1 start and let players look at equivalent character progressions. The exact proficiency bonus will be determined by the level at which the character jumps. For more on multiclassing character progressions, check out: * Primal Multiclass Characters Proficiencies * Armor: Light armor * Weapons: ** Simple weapons ** hand crossbows ** longswords (V), rapiers (F), shortswords (F, L) ** Wand of Casting (2M technique, if they don't already have it). * Tools: Thieves' tools * Saving Throws: Dexterity, Intelligence * Skills: ** [https://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/5e_SRD:Stealth_Skill Stealth] (Dex). This is a fundamental skill associated with the clandestine reconnaissance and surveillance missions they are assigned. If this is a skill they are previously trained into, such as from the Rangers, this becomes a finishing school – and double the bonus. ** Acrobatics (Dex). ** Deception (Variable: usually Cha, often Int, sometimes Wis for SA). The PSYOPS training of the SA allows them to use Charisma, Intelligence or Wisdom based on any criteria they choose. Some pick to use one because it's their own highest stat. Others pick because they believe it's the target's lowest resistance... Features and Feats in the Stonehearth Sergeants-at-Arms Expertise (Mission Briefing) Preparation is key: in the SA's version of the Expertise feature, the sergeant may review mission-related material and prepare themselves for whatever the next step is in the operation. This allows the sergeant to double the skill proficiency bonus when making the related ability check. This may also be applied to a tool kit by reviewing the local context of how the kit would be used. For example: the thieves tools would require a review of local locksmith techniques. This bonus will last as long relevant or applicable, until replaced by a new Mission Briefing. * Rogue-1: Choose two (2) of your proficiencies, either two skill, two tool, or one of each (such as Deception and Thieves' Tools). * Rogue-6: Choose a combination of four (4) proficiencies. Sneak Attack Beginning at 1st level, the SA knows how to strike subtly and exploit a foe's distraction. Once per turn, they can deal an extra 1d6 damage to one creature they hit with an attack if they have advantage on the attack roll. The attack must use a finesse or a ranged weapon. * You don't need advantage on the attack roll if another enemy of the target is within 5 feet of it, that enemy isn't incapacitated, and you don't have disadvantage on the attack roll. * The amount of the extra damage increases as you gain levels in this class, as shown in the Sneak Attack column of the Rogue table. * Unlike the proficiency bonus, which uses total combined character level, the Sneak Attack bonus uses the rogue level. Thieves' Cant During your rogue training you learned thieves' cant, a secret mix of dialect, jargon, and code that allows you to hide messages in seemingly normal conversation. Only another creature that knows thieves' cant understands such messages. It takes four times longer to convey such a message than it does to speak the same idea plainly. In addition, you understand a set of secret signs and symbols used to convey short, simple messages, such as whether an area is dangerous or the territory of a thieves' guild, whether loot is nearby, or whether the people in an area are easy marks or will provide a safe house for thieves on the run. 2m Wandism (Untrained) If the character doesn't already have this from a previous rotation, they would be trained into it now. This seeming contradiction of training into "untrained" means a per-spell learning curve, with no inherent or underlying arcane theory. * The character would learn mage hand as the introductory spell, and clairvoyance as their second (it is a job requirement). The rest, they can learn at their own pace, in-game, per 2m Untrained rules. * ArCorps training would provide 2 spells per level. The first are mentioned, while the rest of the usual list are those that the Marines, Guard or Rangers utilize, per player selection. This training takes a dedicated week, so stopping down an intensive operation likely isn't practical, though isn't impossible. * By Rogue-10, the ArCorps will train the SA to Magic Bullet. This is an essentially an invisible "Arcane Hand" focused into a 1-inch square, that flies at just sub-sonic speed for a silent case, resulting in 4d8 force damage. The Wand of Casting can fire up to five times per round and counts as a one-hand ranged weapons when utilizing this spell. Arcane Training (Cantrips) The Stonehearth ArCorps works closely with the SA, training them to cast cantrips. This is per-cantrip operational training and gives little insight into arcane theory. Likewise, the sergeant must take a week of dedicated training time with the ArCorps after achieving their new Combat Rating (level) in order to benefit from this feature. Mid-operation training is unlikely, but not impossible depending on the urgency. * Rogue-1: Two (2) cantrips, both of which are intended for utility – or to create a distraction. That distraction can pull guard attention away, giving a bonus to a Stealth check or give the SA advantage for a Sneak Attack. ** Thaumaturgy ** Prestidigitation * Rogue-2: Maximizing the Sneak Attack bonus by using magic to discern insight into the target's defenses. ** True Strike * Rogue-4: The Mage Hand cantrip is the "Legerdemain" hybrid borrowed from Arcane Trickster Rogues. When the operator casts mage hand, they can make the spectral hand invisible, and can perform the following additional tasks with it: ** They can stow one object the hand is holding in a container worn or carried by another creature. ** They can retrieve an object in a container worn or carried by another creature. ** They can use thieves’ tools to pick locks and disarm traps at range. ** Perhaps most importantly, they can use the Mage Hand cantrip to retrieve a fallen Wand of Casting. ** They can perform one of these tasks without being noticed by a creature if they succeed on a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check contested by the creature’s Wisdom (Perception) check. ** In addition, they can use the bonus action granted by their Cunning Action to control the hand. * Rogue-6: "Mend" is the magical utility lowers the chance that dumb luck will undo a carefully planned operation. * Rogue-8: Amnesia, 60 feet. Amnesia is a cantrip level, mind-affecting spell that creates 2-minutes of retrograde amnesia in the target if they fail a wisdom save. After a successful attack, the next minute the target will disoriented. If they fail their save, the SA can hit them with successive spells with Wisdom DC of 20. Two successive memory wipes creates 1-hour of retrograde amnesia. Three successive wipes creates roughly a day of retrograde amnesia. * Rogue-10: Disguise Self, as the first-level illusion spell, but with a 5-minute duration. ** You make yourself–including your clothing, armor, weapons, and other belongings on your person–look different until the spell ends or until you use your action to dismiss it. You can seem 1 foot shorter or taller and can appear thin, fat, or in between. You can't change your body type, so you must adopt a form that has the same basic arrangement of limbs. Otherwise, the extent of the illusion is up to you. ** The changes wrought by this spell fail to hold up to physical inspection. For example, if you use this spell to add a hat to your outfit, objects pass through the hat, and anyone who touches it would feel nothing or would feel your head and hair. If you use this spell to appear thinner than you are, the hand of someone who reaches out to touch you would bump into you while it was seemingly still in midair. ** To discern that you are disguised, a creature can use its action to inspect your appearance and must succeed on an Intelligence (Investigation) check against your spell save DC. Cunning Action Starting at Rogue-2, your quick thinking and agility allow you to move and act quickly. You can take a bonus action on each of your turns in combat. This action can be used only to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action. Rogue Archetype: Operator At Rogue-3, a player would normally choose a rogue archetype that their character would emulate in the exercise of their abilities, such as Thief, Assassin, or Arcane Trickster. The SA have a very particular path – the Operator – and this grants specific features at Rogue-3 and then again at 9th, 13th, and 17th level. Ability Score Improvement When they reach Rogue-4, and again at 8th, 10th, 12th, 16th, and 19th rogue level, they can increase one ability score of their choice by 2, or they can increase two ability scores of their choice by 1. As normal, they can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. Uncanny Dodge Starting at Rogue-5, when an attacker that the character can see hits them with an attack, the characeter can use their reaction to halve the attack's damage. Evasion Beginning at Rogue-7, they can nimbly dodge out of the way of certain area effects, such as a red dragon's fiery breath or an ice storm spell. When they're subjected to an effect that allows a Dexterity saving throw for half damage, they instead take no damage if they succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if failed. Emergency Melee Training An SA is a close-combat expert, but that's a foundation that starts with the ranged CQB skills learned in Infantry. When they don't have a projector, they fall back on the CQB skill, but as a wandist. What happens when an operator has access to neither a projector nor their wand? Blades. The Rogue-9 archetype Special Training addresses various operational challenges, from cover stories requiring leaving their ranged weapons behind to losing them in battle. The operators need to be able to pick up readily available weapons and still be able to complete the mission. After qualifying into Rogue-9, the operator is given immersion training in two-weapon combat. By now, they're an old hand at longswords, and at least 9-levels familiar with a shortsword (the Sneak Attack backup when ranged isn't available or practical). The Emergency Melee Training maximizes the prowess of long and shortsword proficiency and experience into a deadly two-weapon fighting style. This is a modified Two-Weapon Fighting Style (PHB, p. 72) that benefits from the "Dual Wielder" feat. Reliable Talent By Rogue-11, they've refined their chosen skills until they approach perfection. Whenever they make an ability check that lets them add their proficiency bonus, they can treat a d20 roll of 9 or lower as a 10. Alchemist Training The training provides chemical and alchemical training, plus proficiency with Alchemists' Supplies. Ostensibly to allow the field production of arcane crystals when outside Stonehearth reach, it can also produce a powerful, minimally-magical explosion that the character can use for demolition. Blindsense Starting at Rogue-14 level, if they are able to hear, they're aware of the location of any hidden or invisible creature within 10 feet of them. Observant By Rogue-15, the operator receives training that encapsulates all their operational lessons, resulting a new understanding of things they've already learned. In short, they earn the Observant feat: Quick to notice details of your environment, you gain the following benefits: * Increase your Intelligence or Wisdom score by 1, to a maximum of 20. * If you can see a creature’s mouth while it is speaking a language you understand, you can interpret what it’s saying by reading its lips. * You have a +5 bonus to your passive Wisdom (Perception) and passive Intelligence (Investigation) scores. Elusive Beginning at Rogue-18, they're so evasive that attackers rarely gain the upper hand. No attack roll has advantage against the character while they aren't incapacitated. Stroke of Luck At Rogue-20, they have an uncanny knack for succeeding. Once per short or long rest, if their attack misses a target within range, they can turn the miss into a hit. Alternatively, if they fail an ability check, they can treat the d20 roll as a 20. Rogue Archetype: Operator Rogues have many features in common, including their emphasis on perfecting their skills, their precise and deadly approach to combat, and their increasingly quick reflexes. But different rogues steer those talents in varying directions, embodied by the rogue archetypes. The archetype is a reflection of the focus - very much an indication of the preferred techniques of the profession. Operator The Sergeant-at-Arms is the ultimate jack of all trades, but doesn't have the focused, high-level combat attacks that single-class characters have. While the Infiltration (level 9) furthers the undercover and intelligence gathering missions, the mission will fail if the operator is dead. The operator archetype, then, looks to keep the SA alive when they're deployed far from home, deep in enemy territory. Sergeants-at-Arms Issued Equipment The SA are both meticulous and paranoid about their gear. Given their solo assignments and need to work undercover, they can't always wear the best of the best that they're given. That means they need to find a safe place to stow it. Armor The comparatively light leather armor is enchanted, glyph-treated and studded with Arcanium-2 ceramic plates. The compiled bonus is +3, giving a total AC of 15 before DEX bonus. * (1) When activated, the glyphs provide a partial visual fade and noise suppression that provides advantage to Stealth skill checks. * (2) SA armor is similar to Ranger armor, but a slice more expensive. Its surface isn't technically magical, and resists detection of magic, but it is magic-conducive. At SA-1, the appearance is magically modified with a 5-minute ritual and can appear to be any type of clothing with the same bulk. At Rogue-10, when the operator is taught the disguise cantrip, he can change the appearance of the armor at will in a 5-second process. * *Cost note: this cost is the projected cost if reproduced elsewhere. Stonehearth arcane process allows production at 1/4th this cost. That production cost is secret and sensitive information: the inflated "estimated" production cost (above) is a form of information warfare to discourage other entities from attempting to follow the Stonehearth lead. Helmet This is an evolution of the helmet used by the Rangers. Also made with the Arcanium R741, provides visored, full-face protection. In both visor-up and visor-down configuration, attuned to provide platoon-wide magical voice communication. In visor-down configuration, provides darkvision (60’). Functionally the same base as the Ranger model, the helmet shares the magical disguise function of the rest of the armor. Upgradeable armor Modular enchantment sockets: each major piece of armor (pauldrons, chest, each gauntlet, upper arm, etc.) may modified with an "ingot," a coin-like chip that carries a specialized enchantment. These may be awarded for exceptional service (or purchased), and modify the protective value of the armor. Popular ingots include Protection vs Poison and Protection vs Disease. Weapons Longsword, MIC STD M91 (versatile; 1d8+2 Slashing / 1d10+2 Slashing): * +2 hit * +2 damage (+2 Piercing) * Damage, plus: +1d4 Slashing ** This is a highly classified enchant that changes the mass of the blade during swings, resulting in deeper cuts. The fire was replaced by this enchant for the sake of stealth. Shortsword, MIC STD M104 (finesse/light; 1d6+2 Slashing): * +2 hit * +2 damage (+2 Piercing) * Damage, plus: +1d4 Slashing ** This highly classified enchant is the same as M91 Longsword that changes the mass of the blade during swings, resulting in deeper cuts. As most think of a shortsword as a thrusting weapon, this brings measurable damage and significant in-combat surprise to slash attacks. A211 Forcepipe: ammunition charges (range 100/500), 1d6+4B/1d6+4P, heavy (100 shots (1)), two-handed * A forcepipe is a magically-charged projector of shaped kinetic energy. It does not require physical ammunition, but has a set number of shots per arcane crystal. * It is powered by arcane crystals, with a high-tolerance receiving chamber. * It utilizes a mundane trigger mechanism and fires identically to standard Stonehearth projectors. * The A211 has an incendiary trigger, which uses an additional physical trigger to actuate. Activating the incendiary option heats the projected force to include 1d6+4 (fire). Where the normal shots are essentially invisible and there is no muzzle flash, the incendiary option fires as a tracer round and the point of origin can be discovered. Additionally, the incendiary option burns through charges at twice the rate (counting as two charges rather than one). Category:DM/GM Notes Category:Hall of Records Category:Player-Character Notes